I have had my eyebrows professionally done exactly once in my life. About 10 years ago. And while it’s nice to get a professional to handle things like shaping your eyebrows, you can also get great eyebrows on your own, without a professional!

Here are some secrets to getting great eyebrows:

• Work with what you’ve got. Your eyebrows will actually be more flattering and attractive if you work with the shape that you already have naturally, than if you try to take too much off and conform it to your will. Your eyebrow should start right at the inner corner of your eyebrow (don’t pluck too many hairs from the inner corners!), and if your eyebrows naturally extend to just past the outer corners of the eyes, don’t try to trim anything off the end – leave the length as it is.

• Start small. As a general rule, a nice simple arch is a very flattering eyebrow shape to start with. Leave about a finger’s-width amount of space from where your eyebrow begins at the inner corner of your eye, and don’t pluck anything within that finger’s width space! Instead, start plucking a few hairs at the bottom all along the rest of the eyebrow. Just a few, and just on the one side.

• Use a mirror to constantly check your progress. The reason why I recommended above to only start with one eyebrow is that you can then compare it to your original natural brow. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your brow shape will change and how much it can make your face look different. However, if you do both eyebrows simultaneously, you might not realize the change until you’ve gone a little too far – and it’s much better to have a few more hairs to pluck than to have taken too many out!

• Go easy on the top part of your eyebrow. There’s a temptation to pluck away at the upper part of your eyebrow, but you’ll have a much softer, more natural, and flattering look if you just pluck a few hairs here and there to once again enhance your natural eyebrow shape. The idea here is to showcase your natural beauty and to refine it slightly.

• Use clear mascara if your eyebrows are a little unruly. If, even once you’ve successfully shaped your eyebrows, you find that not all the hairs are going in the direction you want, simply use a little bit of clear mascara to tame your eyebrows. Think of it as mousse for your eyebrows!

What are your best tips for getting great eyebrows? Share in the comments section below!